Navy co-hosts successful South Coast Sevens Tournament

The Navy Women’s Team at the South Coast Sevens Football Tournament in Gerringong.

Forty Navy footballers and coaches participated in the South Coast Sevens Football Tournament in Gerringong last weekend, with the Navy Football Federation (Navy FFA) co-hosting the 7-a-side competition in partnership with the Gerringong Breakers Football Club.

The tournament attracted more than 300 footballers, with some teams visiting from Sydney and Canberra to compete in the two-day event.

Navy fielded four teams, including two open men’s teams, an open women’s team and an over-35s men’s team, with all experiencing wins and losses across a great weekend of football.

The Navy Women had a consistent tournament and won through to the B Grade Grand Final, setting up a memorable clash against ‘LastMinute.Comp’.

It was a tight contest, with no goals scored in regulation time or extra time.

A player elimination period followed, with a player from each team being removed from the match every two minutes, until only four players (two from each team) remained on the field.

In a spectacle that delighted the large number of spectators on the sidelines, Navy conceded a goal in the dying moments when LastMinute.Comp’s goal keeper ran the ball up the field and executed a perfect pass to her teammate, who edged it past Navy’s goal keeper and into the back of the net.

Navy Women’s Coach, CPO Jason Lockard said it was a good hit-out for the players before the Australian Defence Force National Inter-Service Football Championships in November.

“With nationals only a month away, this was a great opportunity to get some of the girls together and for newer players to learn a bit about our playing style before we go into camp in the last week of October,” CPO Lockard said.

Director of Navy Football, Lieutenant Commander Jim Ford said the tournament bolstered Navy’s long-held ties with the local community.

“Football has always been a sport that brings people together and communities throughout the New South Wales South Coast have a long history of supporting Navy and our people, many of whom live and work here,” Lieutenant Commander Ford said.

“By helping to deliver this great football tournament, Navy has demonstrated that we are committed to giving back to this community and are wanting to play an active part in it.”

“We have seen an outstanding two days of competition, with some really exceptional talent on display from the young guns right through to the ‘old boys’, but most importantly the spirit in which this tournament has been played has brought credit to everyone involved,” he said.

Australian Defence Force National Inter-Service Football Championships will be played at the Sydney United Sports Centre, Edensor Park, from 2-7 November 2018.